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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778130">Matters of Faith</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braxdovah/pseuds/Braxdovah'>Braxdovah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>White Wolf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:41:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braxdovah/pseuds/Braxdovah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A meta human and his unlikely protector have a conversation</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Matters of Faith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seth slips down a tree a few moments after Garin arrives. The only difference being the hard sided case slung over his shoulder from when they met in New Orleans. </p><p>“So that was normal for you?” </p><p>Garin has foregone his previous mostly-red attire for the simple blacks that he wore when Seth first met him. The ruby ring on his hand, however, remains as the only visible sign of his office. <br/>“Normal...? Hardly. I simply don’t show when I am uneasy.” His voice, as always, is whisper quiet. </p><p>“Right, not good at reading people. Really not good. Look, I don’t know jack about religion but they were using people like me for this. That means something.” Seth is twitchy and on edge. “We are not common. There isn’t even a ‘we’.” He gesticulates weakly at the air around him.</p><p>Garin listens to him quietly, pale grey eyes never leaving the other man. <br/>“I cultivate being unreadable - don't take it to heart,” He admits. “I was shocked at the sight of Dracula himself... And the Baron Samedi... But I admit that the fact that there were enough others like you for this to be a thing proper is startling indeed. I've never encountered anything like you before, well... You.” </p><p>“I can wrap my brain around vampires. Sure, and Dracula must have a hell of a press guy. The Baron Samedi, that was a mind fuck. Crazy powerful.” Seth breathes out visibly shaken. “I only have seen others like me in the program. I don’t know where my powers come from and religion wasn’t exactly something that was encouraged in there.” </p><p>“I have always known that there was a God,” Garin admits softly. “It is, in part, where the powers I command come from - the magic of the Sanctified are miracles granted by His will.” <br/>The Mekhet will step slightly nearer to Seth, and after a moment will reach out as if to rest a hand against his shoulder in an attempt at a gesture of comfort. For the present, his fangs are retracted, as if he’s trying to recall how to set a mortal more at ease. <br/>“As to your powers... I admit that they are a mystery to me. Albeit one that I would assist you in unraveling.” </p><p>Seth is tense and relaxes under the touch after a few moments. “I don’t know about God or gods. Churches tend to ask too many questions. Think I need to be taken care of by the system.” The rosary around his neck trembles for a moment but lays still. “I won’t let them poke and prod me again. You gave me sanctuary. I don’t have to go back. I won’t.” The beads of the rosary vibrate but that could have been the vehemence of his whisper. </p><p>Garin’s pale eyes remain focused on Seth throughout his words, only flicking to the beads of his rosary in curiosity. <br/>“... I can teach you without asking for anything but your consideration in return,” The Mekhet’s whispered words are sincere as ever. “I can lead you to the path that I strayed from, to save you. And I can assure you that you'll never go back anywhere you don't want to be.” </p><p>The whisper seems to lull Seth. “Teach me. Help me figure out where my powers come from. I know how to work them, how to quantify my strengths, what I can and cannot yet achieve with them. But where and why I lack. The others like you, the faithful ones… will they respect Sanctuary?” His eyes focus on Garin, widened with adrenaline. </p><p>“Then where and why is what we seek,” Garin soothes calmly, his voice quite level. “As to the other Sanctified... they will if you invoke the mention of yourself as being... mine. As being attached to me. I hold no power over you, Seth - they are simply words to protect you.” </p><p>“Your what? And let’s dispense with the illusion that you could not kill me. I trust you to not do so but we are both aware of the food chain. Strength is power. What do they normally consider humans to be other than prey?” It is almost like a switch has flipped in Seth and he is coldly logically sorting information.</p><p>“The Sanctified consider mortals as their charges. We are God’s Holy Monsters, and the task set before us in our Damnation is to terrify and frighten wayward souls - mortals - back to the path of righteousness.” He explains calmly. “I consider our views a bit more... noble than some others. In this case, while you are my ward, they would consider you my property.” </p><p>Seth tilts his head and it would be almost endearing if not for the calculating look on his face as he thinks. “I do not quite fit into the equation of your faith at first glance. Though mortal, I am what I have heard referred to as meta-human. Mortal 1.5 or 2.0.” He nods and cracks his neck. “ I can handle them thinking I belong to you. You “consider me a ward not an object. In return for your protection, I will grant you use of my abilities and knowledge of my location.” He reaches out a hand. “Cell phone, please.” </p><p>“Meta-human... seems an appropriate term for one of your unique capabilities,” The Mekhet agrees thoughtfully. “Correct - I understand that you are not a thing to be owned. You are your own person.” <br/>With that, he hands the phone over. </p><p>Seth studies the phone for a moment, silently and deftly working with it before performing a similar operation on his own. “There. If you call me, it will come thru. The number won’t work from a different phone. I will allow you to make arrangements for where I can reside in LA. I can handle ‘the paperwork’.” </p><p>“I'll have to text you,” Garin admits with a soft sigh. “I can't use phones... interesting limitation of my particular condition. Incidentally should you ever hear a recording of my voice that's... modern or receive a call from me, you'll know it's a fake.”<br/>He’ll accept his phone back readily. <br/>“That said, I'll make arrangements for you... and we will begin speaking on a more regular basis regarding a number of the things we've discussed tonight.” </p><p>Seth chuckles. “Good, I hate phone calls. I suppose I should let you get to whatever it is you have planned tonight.” He nods and turns to walk away. Apparently, he intends to walk to where he has holed up. </p><p>Garin will watch him, and sigh softly. <br/>“You're welcome to stay, temporarily, in the compound until we make arrangements for your housing.” </p><p>“Wifi and no locks I am on the wrong side off. Discovered the second, when they tried to arrest me once. Are you sure it would be wise?” He shrugs. “I mean these people look like they will be gone for at least two more months and they never use the part I am crashing in.” </p><p>“All it would take is an enemy of mine seeing you there, calling in a favor to the police, then making you disappear,” Garin explains quietly, as if this concept is routine to him. “No locks you're on the wrong side of, a set of keys for yourself so that you may come and go as you please during your time with us until we've set you up on your own, and yes we have wifi... I find myself dead in the water without it.” </p><p>Seth’s head cocks and he breathes out slowly. “That is the whole downside to being your metahuman ward. Lead the way then.”</p>
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